Impact of Protocol Deviations in Acute Ischemic Stroke Treated With Intravenous rt-PA Within 4.5 Hours After Symptom Onset.

BACKGROUND: There is limited experience in the community with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) administered 3 to 4.5 hours after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) onset. Many patients do not meet entry criteria of pivotal clinical trials because of severe stroke, age >80, severe hypertension (sHTN), or history of previous stroke and diabetes. Whether rt-PA benefits these patients is unclear. Thus, we investigated the outcomes of stroke patients treated with rt-PA with or without these adverse clinical characteristics. METHODS: Chart review of patients with AIS treated with intravenous rt-PA at a single institution. Outcomes at discharge were compared between patients with severe stroke, age >80, sHTN, or previous stroke/diabetes and those without these characteristics. Good outcome was defined as modified Rankin score (mRS) of 0 to 1. Analysis of variance and t tests were used to compare the outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 118 cases analyzed, 103 (87%) were treated ≤3 hours and 15 (13%) between 3 and 4.5 hours. Sixty-three (53%) patients had severe stroke, age >80, sHTN, or previous stroke/diabetes, whereas 55 (47%) did not. Compared to controls, patients with these adverse characteristics were less likely to have good outcomes (35% vs 56%, p = .02). No patients treated within the 3- to 4.5-hour window experienced symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Eight patients treated between 3 and 4.5 hours had severe stroke, age >80, sHTN, or previous stroke/diabetes. Of these, 6 had poor outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In a highly selected group of patients treated with intravenous rt-PA, lack of adherence to current guidelines did not improve stroke outcomes. This was related to more severe strokes at baseline, not sICH. Prospective studies of this patient group are needed.

Familial occurrence of oligodendroglial tumours.

Two non-identical brothers were diagnosed with anaplastic oligoastrocytoma within 4 months of each other and a maternal grandmother was diagnosed with oligodendroglioma 21 years previously. Familial clustering of oligodendrogliomas is rare.

Treatment of subtotally resected intracranial plasma cell granuloma with steroids: a case report.

Primary intracranial plasma cell granuloma (PCG) is a rare form of inflammatory pseudotumour often characterized by non-neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells. The following case indicates a potential role for steroid therapy after subtotal resection.